The feeling at their home stadium was anything but joyful on Saturday afternoon. The Biancocelesti found themselves behind against Torino, an opponent that had allowed a total of 10 goals while netting just two in their last five league matches. Ultras from the Curva Nord were concluding their latest protest in a continuous dispute with club owner Claudio Lotito.
This Year's Efforts Unraveling?
Had their campaign unraveling, or had there never been a thread maintaining its structure in the first place? The club brought back Maurizio Sarri to lead the team during the off-season, only for him publicly stated that the board had not mentioned a registration embargo they were about to receive for financial irregularities. Speculation that his departure was imminent were not true, but he acknowledged that Lotito had "deceived" him.
The Biancocelesti were just as chaotic in their performances as off the field, overcoming Verona 4-0 and Genoa 3-0 but falling short in the remaining opening fixtures, featuring the derby della Capitale. From one game to the next, it's been difficult to ascertain if they are improving or imploding.
Matteo's Surprising Presence
At least one man remained positive throughout. Matteo Cancellieri was not even supposed to be at Lazio this season. He completed last season at Parma as a loanee and, at the start of the off-season, Lazio were pushing for him to stay there temporarily. The signing restriction led to a change of plans. They were unable to thin their squad without replacements.
Cancellieri arrived initially during Sarri's previous tenure, then a 20-year-old alumnus of Verona's academy. He accumulated 20 league appearances in Lazio colors in that campaign, all but one of those from the bench. The club's longtime sporting director, Igli Tare, who left at the end of that season, would later accuse Sarri of "promising everyone Cancellieri had superstar potential only to bench him consistently."
Discovering His Best Role
Perhaps the manager was continuing to attempt to work out the exact type of the player's talent. Originally described as a flank player on arrival, Cancellieri nevertheless spent the majority of that term as an ineffective backup to Ciro Immobile in the striker role. In 63 appearances on loan at Empoli and Parma in the past two years, his tally was seven goals. Shoehorn
